Device for automatically tracing the course of sighted ships.



PATENTED AUG. 28, 1906.

J. VON HINKB, DBCD.- RIVON HINKE, ADMINISTRATOR. DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY TRAGING THE COURSE OF SIGHTED SHIPS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE14.1904.

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- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLF VON HINKE, OE VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY. ADMINISTRATOR OF JOHANN VON HINKE, DECEASED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 28, 1906.

Application filed June 14, 1904. Serial No. 212.790.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that J OHANN VON HINKE, admiral, late a citizen of Pola, in the Empire of Austria-Hungary, did invent certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Automatically Tracin the Course of Sighted Ships, of which the following is'a specification.

The object of the present invention is a device for automatically tracing the course of sighted ships by means of apparatus for determining position, which device from an elevated point situated on the coast gives the distance, position, and course of the enemys ships, as well as the requisite data for the setting of the coast-guns.

The apparatus for determining position itself consists, as is well known, of a sightingtelescope which is revoluble about a horizontal and a vertical axis, said telescope bein set up on an elevated part'of the coast an giving by its inclination to the horizontal the distance of the sighted ship or object to be aimed at, For guiding the telescope a curve disk revoluble about a horizontal axis is employed, the form of this disk embodying the geometrical relationship between the distance of the sighted point and the corresponding angle of dip of the telescope, so that by means of the telescope directed on the point to be aimed at the distance can with the help of an index-mark be read OH on a scale rigidly connected with the curve disk, said scale being provided with a circular graduation. This index is arranged on a plate displaceable and adjustable along a scale in order to give on the instrument itself the requisite distance corrections if the instrument be used as an auxiliary for the direction of the firing of a battery. The horizontal turning of the telescope can be read ofi" from the graduations of a horizontal graduated circle along which the alidade connected with the telescopestandard moves.

In order to graphically record the position and the course of the si hted ship by the aid of such an instrument for determining posi- 7 tion, according to the present invention, a drawing-board is connected with the fixed foundation-plate on which a pencil is moved. This pencil is fixed on the front end of an arm which turns, in common with the alidade andgtheltelescope, about the vertical axis of the instrument, and at the same time is proportionally to the rotation of the curve disk brought nearer to or moved farther from this axis, so that it gives the course of the ship to a definite scale on the drawing-board.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an apparatus for determining position provided with this device.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 is a plan, of the same.

a is the horizontal circle, which is provided, on its circumference with graduations. (One division is equal to the angle whose arc is 0.001.) This horizontal circle carries the drawing-table c, which is secured on the front carrier I), connected with said circle Along this horizontal circle the alidaded can with its superstructure be turned around a-vertical pin, supported in the central bearing of the horizontal circle. The alidade is behind supported by the two rollers and can be moved by means of the toothed wheelf, supported in bearing upon it, this toothed wheel engaging in the toothed segment 9 of the horizontal circle and bein connected with a head h. The motion of t e alidade is later- 4 ally limited by the two india-rubber buffers i. The pillar 9', screwed upon the alidade, carries above the bridge 7c with the alidade spirit-level 1. The terrestrial telescope m, provided with cross-threads, lies in bearings n and 0 of the telescope-carrier p. The latter is supported behind with the prismatic edge 9 on the curve disk 7" and is turned by means of this about the horizontal axle s, which is rigidly connected with the brid e the telesco e-carrier bein guided verticall by the guide if and the guiding-rollers u.

When the instrument is not standing ready for use, the telescope-carrier rests on the screw 1 The vertical motion of the telescope takes place at the same time as the radial motion of the pencil to by turning the head 00. This head is keyed upon a shaft which is formed as a screwed spindle 3 between the bearing-standards z and 2, which are screwed upon the alidade. The turnin of the head 00 is transmitted on the onehan through the diflerential gear 4 5 to the curve disk 1', whereas on the other hand the nut 6 which is guided in a straight line, drives the pencil-carrier 7 as well as the pencil w. The curve disk is so formed that within a certain range of distance the point of. the sea-surface sighted by the telescope is registered on a definite uniform scale.

In order to be'able to read? ofl exactly and conveniently the distance ot thepoint sight- I ed at the time the toothed Wheel 5 is on its back surface provided with a. distance gradu ation, the distance-pointer 8 belon ing thereto is ri idly connected With the alidade by means p ointer 113' for the direction inazimuth which,

moreover, possesses thesamearrangement as y the distance-pointer;

The manner of operation of the device'i'or automatically drawingthecourse ot'theship will be understood from. the follbwingexam:- ple' oh the application of! the instrument? A ship is tobe shelled indirectly from a coastba-ttery of'mortars. The point at which the apparatus for determining the position is set up is situated at a fairly great distance from thebattery. While the battery prepares for action, the object tobe aimed at isfol'lbwed by the sightingapparatus. By a correspond ing extension of' the course-traced by the lilstrument the commander of-the hatter-y det'ermin'esthe particularposition of theobject in: which it is-to be-struck. He reads the co ordinates giving the directions for this point from: the re ister-especially arranged for this purpose an intormsthebattery. Hereupon he ascertainsthe length ot the line-representing the coursefor' th'e timeofflight increased by some seconds, sets apair ofcompasses at this distance, and steps it back from the intended meeting-point along; the produced course and marks the end point ofthis portion by a pick with the compass-point. As soonlas the pencil: reaches thismarktheorder for firingiszgiven.

What is claimed is A device for: tracing the course of sighted ships, comprising in combination, a horizon tal. graduated circle having a toothed: periphery, a drawing-table secured thereto, an alidade pivoted centrally of the circle, a gear mountedon the alidade and meshing With the teeth of the circle, a pillar mounted on the a-lidade, a telescope-carrierhinged to the head of the pillar and having a prismatic edged front, a telescope" mounted on the car rier, a. standard secured to the ali'dade, an axis mounted in the standard, a cam-disk a-fhxed to this axis and presenting an edge adapted to receive and support the front edge of the-telescope carrier, a screw s-pindle mounted in the standard and in a second b'earingon; the a'lid-ade', and ha-Vinga pinion mountedon' it, a toothedgraduated disk mounted on the axis of the cam and meshing with the-pinion, a nut Working'on' the screwspind'le, a pencil-holdersecured to the nut and extending above the drawing-table, a pointer; for the said disk-scale; and a pointer for tha horizontal circle having a vernit'er', both. pointers being carriedby the alidad'e, substantially as described".

In Witness whereof 1* havehereunto signed my name, this 13th day ofMay, 1 904, in the presence of two subscribingtwitnesses'.

Administrator of the estate of Johann van Hink e, deceased; Witnesses:

Anvns'ro' S; Hoeun, Aueusr FRTGGER'. 

